Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 7.pdf/151



The Congress of the United States donated to the State of Oregon two townships of land to aid in the establishment and support of a state university. These lands were selected by the authority and under the direction of the State Land Board, composed of the Governor, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer, in different parts of the State. These lands were sold by the State, or the greater part of them, and very unwisely, too, for they were sold at a very low price. The State has realized out of the proceeds of the sale of this 46,000 acres of land about $100,000, when, if care and proper attention had been given this matter by these officers the State could have realized $350,000 or $400,000. The fund arising from the sale of these lands was set apart by the law as an irreducible fund, the interest of which should be used in the support of a State University. The constitution of the State provides that the Legislative Assembly may locate the university and make laws to govern the same.

In the latter part of July or first of August, 1872, at the old schoolhouse in Eugene, a quiet meeting was held by a few citizens, consisting of W. J. J. Scott, Ben F. Dorris, as school directors, John C. Arnold, as teacher of district No. 4, and Hon. J. M. Thompson and S. H. Spencer as friends. The object of this meeting was to discuss the propriety and ascertain if the means could be raised to establish a high school in Eugene, which high school was to be located on a block of land if the same could be procured from the county. Hon. J. M. Thompson was then